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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/28551246">Present Tense</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/red_crate/pseuds/red_crate'>red_crate</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>9-1-1 (TV)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Bisexual Character, Friends to Lovers, Getting Together, M/M, Mutual Pining, POV Alternating, Queer Character, Sexual Identity, Submissive Evan "Buck" Buckley, mention of BDSM, oblivious eddie</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2021-01-04</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-01-04</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-11 00:02:06</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Mature</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>4,338</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/28551246</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/red_crate/pseuds/red_crate</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Eddie needs to go to sleep and to stop dwelling on stuff that doesn’t even affect him. </p>
<p>He’s a healthy, fully grown adult, with his own sexual history—as limited as it has been by virtues of monogamy and marriage at an early age. Buck simply has a different history. It isn’t Eddie’s business to examine it or to try and figure out what that meant. Because it didn’t mean anything for Eddie himself.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Evan "Buck" Buckley/Eddie Diaz (9-1-1 TV)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>28</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>108</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Present Tense</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>This is a purely self indulgent WIP that means a lot to me, as I’ve sourced a lot of my own sexual identity and self-discovery into it, and thusly informed how I write both Eddie and Buck. I hope someone else finds this entertaining and maybe even a bit relatable.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>“How do I have this much stuff?” Buck asks himself as he sits on the floor of his closet, sorting through filing boxes stuffed with clothes and trinkets from over the years. “It’s like they procreate in the dark!” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He’s got a large black bag that he’s placing items to donate to the clothing drive and charity rummage sale being hosted by the 9-1-1 dispatchers. Maddie already challenged him to donate more than him. With as much stuff as he has seemed to accumulate in the year he’s had his own apartment, Buck feels like that challenge will be easy to match. He never realized how many clothes he buys without actually wearing. Some of this stuff he remembers buying almost six months ago, and they still have their tags. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Laughter catches Buck off guard as he carefully folds a blue knit sweater into the bag. Eddie appears by the open door, looking amused. “Buck, please tell me there are photos to go with this punk rock get-up. Did you wear eyeliner and studded belts with this?” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>For a second, Buck is truly confused. He never really had a punk rock phase, and he doesn’t know why Eddie suddenly thinks that. Then he sees the strips of black neoprene held together by black O rings. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Heat flooding his cheeks despite the lack of real embarrassment, Buck snorts. “Eddie, man, no. That’s a chest harness? One of my exes got it for me. Definitely not part of a punk rock look—which, for the record, I could totally pull off.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He can see the cogs turning in Eddie’s head as the words sink in. Eddie’s fingers twitch as he holds the harness out with both hands until it’s stretched to its full width. Eddie doesn’t </span>
  <em>
    <span>blush</span>
  </em>
  <span>, but he gives Buck a sheepish look when he glances from the straps down to where Buck is still seated. “This is a sex thing, isn’t it.” It’s not a question. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Buck grins happily up at Eddie, more than willing to make his best friend squirm. “Yes. It’s a sex thing.” He shrugs, going more serious, “At  least when it was bought for me. I mean, sometimes it can just be an aesthetic thing for some people. And it’s like, a gay culture thing too. But I only wore that maybe twice before we broke up.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Um,” Buck wonders if that more than Eddie wanted to process when he was just looking to do a little gentle ribbing. Eddie’s hand hangs down by his side. “You want this in the ‘stay’ pile then?” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Once he’d finally gotten his own place, he’d emptied out the storage unit he’d had for almost three years and just sort of shoved everything into the nearest closet. Buck was using the event as a way to purge through stuff he’d accumulated and let migrate with him each time he moved. Eddie was helping tackling the hallway closet, before the two of them planned to go to Chimney’s place to pick up a couple tables that were meant for donation. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Whatever box Eddie found that harness in, Buck hadn’t thought about it much in a long while. Not with any heat or desire for its original, intended audience. Still, it was a decent piece of equipment and the volunteers at the rummage sale would probably be weirded out if he donated it.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Even though this is L.A., I kinda feel like bondage gear is maybe a little risqué for a charity drive.” When he holds out his hand for the harness, Eddie’s expression loses its mildly amused look, turning into something neutral but almost unreadable. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Buck isn’t embarrassed to talk frank here. Eddie knows him better than almost anyone, and Buck has never been one to shy from being honest. Life is just easier without the bullshit. Despite that, his cheeks feel warm, and it’s difficult to fully meet Eddie’s gaze—Eddie’s gaze which feels inexplicably heavy. Maybe there’s that small voice in the back of his head that wonders, for the hundredth time, if any of this is something Eddie might want (with him—if Eddie could ever want him like Buck wants Eddie). </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Whatever Eddie is thinking, he snorts and the air feels lighter, back to normal. “Good thinking, even if I’m sure it wouldn’t be the weirdest thing donated.” </span>
</p><hr/>
<p><br/>
<span>It’s not like he’s obsessed, okay? Eddie feels the need to assure himself here, as if someone else could be listening in on his rambling thoughts. But he’s not obsessed over a freaking </span>
  <em>
    <span>piece of</span>
  </em>
  <span>...a, uh...</span>
  <em>
    <span>an accessory</span>
  </em>
  <span>. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Bondage gear. Buck had called it a piece of bondage gear. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Eddie runs a hand through his hair and slowly blows out a breath as he drives to the station. It’s just, he dropped Christopher off at school, and traffic from there to work is always tedious and stop-and-go during the morning rush (honestly all the time, </span>
  <em>
    <span>anywhere</span>
  </em>
  <span>). His mind wanders, and he can’t be blamed for sticking on the most interesting thing to happen lately. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He wishes he had gotten a better look at it. When he’d found the harness, he’d immediately thought of a younger, punk version of Buck loitering by the bar with two big black X’s drawn on the back of his hands as he made friends with the local scene kids. He hadn’t thought of Buck, probably shirtless, maybe being led around by some anonymous finger hooked in the front O ring. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>It’s easier than Eddie might have considered, to imagine Buck being...submissive. Buck thrives on pleasing his friends and family; his whole identity is hinged on how giving he is. With the context, yeah, Eddie can see the blur between everyday life and bedroom proclivities. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Buck had said he only wore it twice, though. So maybe Buck wasn’t into being submissive, at least not like </span>
  <em>
    <span>that</span>
  </em>
  <span> (whatever nebulous “that”  which Eddie’s brain lumped what the harness represented meant). Maybe the person who bought the harness for Buck, who Buck had worn it for, had treated him badly. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Eddie doesn’t want to think about that, because his fingers tighten around the steering wheel until the blood drains from his knuckles. Whoever it was, is in the past, and Eddie is going to assume best intentions there. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>It could have been a fleeting interest. Perhaps Buck had just been open to experimentation. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Best not to think about too deeply. Besides, he was almost to the station now, and it felt weird to be dwelling on what Buck night or might not enjoy in the bedroom while he’d be working with the man in question. Besides, something else will happen. Eddie doesn’t need to think about any of this.</span>
</p><hr/>
<p>
  <span>Chimney and Buck like to keep things interesting in the gym. The stakes are high—bragging rights for the following week plus the loser buys the winner breakfast—and Buck refuses to let himself lose this time. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Thirty-six</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Thirty-seven</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Thirty-eight</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Is that a tremor? You shaking, Chim?” Buck maybe gasps his chirp. Sweat rolls down his temple, and he has to refrain from shaking his head like a dog. The salt stings his eyes. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Forty</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Chimney huffs out a laugh next to him. “If anyone is shaking,” he wheezes, “It’s you.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Forty-two</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Forty-three</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Don’t worry, guys, you’re both shaking. You can give up </span>
  <em>
    <span>anytime</span>
  </em>
  <span>.” Eddie chuckles from behind them where he’s playing referee. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Your money better be on me, Diaz,” Buck can’t look over his shoulder. His muscles are blazing now, and it takes every ounce of concentration to keep pushing his body up and carefully lowering it back down again. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Eddie moves. Buck can hear the squeak of the weight bench he had been sitting on. He says, “Maybe I didn’t bet. You’re both looking rough.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Next to him, Chimney makes a sad noise that Buck can relate to. It gives him a burst of energy though. Chim is going to lose. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Eddie’s sneakers and bare ankles come into view before he crouches down between Buck and Chimney. “Fifty-one.” Buck can hear the smile in his voice as he counts off their paces. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The shorts Eddie’s wearing slip down his leg, and Buck catches sight of several inches of bare skin on the underside of Eddie’s thigh. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Fuck,” he groans and twists his head away. His elbows keep trying to lock up on each motion upwards. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Fifty-three. </span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Fifty-four.</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Fifty-five. </span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Fifty-six!” Eddie says with excitement. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Uncle,” Chimney all but cries. He lands with a thump against the mat as he gives up. “You win. This time.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Buck does some flopping of his own, throwing himself onto his back so his muscles flatten against the floor and the coolness of the mat can seep into his body. Pumping an arm, somewhat feebly, and a leg into the air, Buck folds his head back so he can grin triumphantly at Eddie who has stood back up. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Breakfast is on Chim.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Eddie laughs when Chimney throws a towel at Buck’s face. </span>
</p><hr/>
<p>
  <span>Despite his shut eyes, Eddie’s mind is no closer to peaceful sleep than it had been before he crawled into bed an hour ago. In the quiet of his bedroom, he’s unable to distract himself from his own roaming thoughts. His thoughts which keep circling back to Buck. Eddie drums his fingertips against his chest and takes a deep breath before slowly exhaling. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He needs to go to sleep and to stop dwelling on stuff that doesn’t even affect him. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He’s a healthy, fully grown adult, with his own sexual history—as limited as it has been by virtues of monogamy and marriage at an early age. Buck simply has a different history. It isn’t Eddie’s business to examine it or to try and figure out what that </span>
  <em>
    <span>meant</span>
  </em>
  <span>. Because it didn’t </span>
  <em>
    <span>mean</span>
  </em>
  <span> anything for Eddie himself. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Fuck. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Eddie swung his arm over his eyes as if the added weight would force unconsciousness to overcome his body. He was restless and all too aware of the dwindling night hours before he would need to get up and start the day again. There was one way to assure sleep came easier, and under normal circumstances it would be no question to take up the solution. But he felt uneasy, even as his other hand slid down his stomach and along the elastic of his underwear. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Arousal was easy to beckon though Eddie found himself shying away from imagining anything in particular. He let his fingers play with the front of his boxer briefs, slipping inside to toy with his half hard cock, until his skin felt warmer and his body felt more fluid. Quick images of dark headed women with slick lips flitted through his head, followed by sense memories of supple skin and tight heat. No solid fantasy, but enough to distract him for now, to have him wrapping his hand around his cock and stroking it. </span>
</p><hr/>
<p><br/>
<br/>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Buy this for me,” Maddie insists as she pushes a casserole dish against Buck’s chest the second he comes up to where she’s standing behind the cash box at the rummage sale. “I will pay you back, but I’m not allowed to buy anything while I’m handling the money.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He doesn’t fumble the dish, but he tosses the bag containing the hoagie he brought for her for lunch onto the table so his hands are free. “But why am I buying this casserole dish for you?” A woman to his left seems to be eying said dish with a little more interest than feels usual. “This is a Christmas dish. Maddie, it’s summer.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Still, he pulls his wallet from his back pocket so he could fish his debit card from its depths. He hands it and the dish over to Maddie so he can be rung up for fifteen dollars. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>As she carefully wraps the dish and it’s lid in old newspaper, Maddie says, “First of all, it’s not always going to be summer, Buck. Secondly, this is vintage Pyrex. It’s not as collectable as Corningware, but this pattern is really cute!”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Buck feels like he’s looking at a stranger and his eyebrows knit in confusion. “I have no clue what any of that means, but as long as it makes you happy, I guess.” He takes the bag she hands to him. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Buck!” Christopher’s voice is clear and loud over the low noise of the people milling about. Buck turns his head to grin at the kid working his way through the crowd, Eddie tagging along behind. “Buck, they have comic books!”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Just babysit that for me until Chimney gets here.” Maddie laughs, but Buck is already letting the bag slide down his arm to the crook of his elbow so he can gather Christopher in a tight hug. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Hey, bud!” Buck crouches down after letting go. When Christopher pats him on the cheek with a laugh, Buck closes his eyes and leans into it, joining in on the laughter. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Good thing you’re tall. Might have been difficult to find you in this mass.” Eddie grins down at Buck before turning to Maddie to comment, “You guys got a great turn out for this thing.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Come on, did you have any doubt that this would be the best charity rummage sale ever?” Buck stands and greets Eddie with a quick hug. He’s solid in Buck’s arms for a moment before he releases hold. “Chim and I put signs up literally everywhere, dude.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Eddie squeezes the back of Buck’s neck once, friendly and grounding. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Thanks for donating and coming out to spend a little money,” Maddie ignores Buck’s bragging to welcome Eddie and Christopher. She says, “We’re hoping to raise enough to help remodel the kitchen so they can feed more people.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Christopher pulls at Buck’s hand to get his attention. “I brought my allowance so I can get something cool.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Ten dollar limit, Chris. Don’t forget you’re saving for vacation spending money.” Eddie reminds his son with a quirk of the lips. </span>
</p><hr/>
<p><br/>
<br/>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Snapping the lid onto a glass container, Eddie is almost finished putting the leftovers away when Buck comes back from where Christopher had conned him into helping him with his homework. They had takeout from the Italian place down the street, ordering two types of ‘family style’ pasta, salad, and breadsticks. He definitely ate too much, and he’s going to be feeling the heartburn later tonight, but it was worth it. Authentic food and nice company.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>After grabbing two bottles of water from the fridge, Buck exchanges one with Eddie for the bowl and places it on the second shelf before closing the door. It feels weird, how Eddie gets a sudden wave of </span>
  <em>
    <span>belonging</span>
  </em>
  <span>, of </span>
  <em>
    <span>Buck</span>
  </em>
  <span> belonging here. He moves easily, has from the first time Eddie invited him over and Chris had squealed with delight after finding the man sitting on the floor in their living room, flipping through one of Eddie’s high school yearbooks. Buck moves backwards until he’s leaning against the counter, smiles over at Eddie. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The words stumble out of Eddie’s mouth before he’s even aware he’s speaking. “Hey, Buck—” He tries to stop himself, because he knows it’s going to be awkward. Still, he continues when Buck’s attention turns expectant. “You’re bisexual, right?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>It seems to catch Buck off guard. He does an unattractive snort laugh and turns so he’s no longer in profile, sliding around the corner of the island to face Eddie. With a tilt of his head, Buck says, “Mm, not exactly?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“But you like women </span>
  <em>
    <span>and</span>
  </em>
  <span> men?” Eddie presses, despite his best interest. It feels imperative that Buck answers, that someone knows how they feel about themself here. “Not just women.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Buck’s chin dips in a deep nod with a soft chuckle, “I definitely like some men.” He peeks up at Eddie with a calculating look that means he’s reading Eddie more than Eddie wants him to right now. He waits a beat, then asks, “What about you?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Eddie looks away and hides behind a deep sip of water. He should go check on Chris and make sure the kid is winding down for bed. Why on earth did his traitorous mouth open? But there’s still this energy that’s been building for days and days now that needs an outlet. The fear of putting his thoughts to voice in front of someone—to Buck—is somehow less than the strange fear of never saying it. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>It’s easier knowing that Buck would let him avoid the question, even though Eddie is the one who brought it up to begin with. Buck would let him slide, this once at least, until he thinks Eddie has had enough time to get comfortable with his answer. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I never really thought about it,” Eddie says truthfully, lying all the same. He hadn’t thought about it, not in any concrete way, before that accidental discovery the other day pried an avalanche of questions down upon his head. “Shannon was my first serious girlfriend, then she got pregnant, I joined the Army, and I never really thought about it.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>A second passes, then two or three, Eddie isn’t looking at Buck when the other man prompts, “Now that Shannon is gone?” It’s gentle. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Eddie huffs. He twists the lid back onto his water and wishes he was finishing off a beer instead. They finished putting away the food and throwing out the containers from dinner, so he pulls open the dishwasher instead and starts putting away the clean dishes. “I’m in my thirties.” A strangled laugh tears out of his throat as he carefully stacks glasses and sets them in their cabinet shelf. “I should know what I like.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Buck moves closer than Eddie really wants him to be. He stands less than two feet away. “There’s no timeline or deadline for figuring yourself out, man. Some people know right off the bat, and some people don’t realize until a lot later. It’s okay, either way.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Right. Yeah,” Eddie shakes his head. The top of the dishwasher is empty now. He bends to pull the bottom rack out. “Forget about it. I was just...thanks for telling me. You didn’t have to, and I probably shouldn’t have asked.” He thinks that’s the right thing to say about asking Buck to confirm his sexuality. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I’m not bi, at least, it’s not the term I prefer for myself, but I’m not straight.” Buck slides his hands into his front pockets, shoulders hunched in. Eddie doesn’t know if he’s trying to look less intimidating or if he’s trying to fold in on himself out of a need for self-protection. “I’m queer. I like who I like, sometimes it’s about the physical attraction, sometimes it’s more about who the person is as a person, and sometimes it’s both.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Eddie forces himself to look at Buck because this is important. Outside of his own freak out, the fact that Buck is willing to lay himself bare like this when Eddie is clearly uncomfortable and feeling a little bit defensive, means something. Buck deserves to be met head-on. “That...sounds complicated.” He smiles though, relaxes. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Buck leans down and grabs a pot before handing it over to Eddie. “Not really, not in practice.” He smirks until Eddie snorts a soft laugh. “Look, if you’re...questioning anything? That’s okay. You can talk to me about whatever, man. Or Hen, or Bobby, Chimney, hell, even Maddie. You gotta know that no one would think less—” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“No, of course,” Eddie cuts him off with a grimace. He can barely stomach broaching the subject with Buck, his best friend. Trying to imagine going to any of the others with this feels repulsive. He takes a deep breath, slowly closing another cabinet door. When he turns to look at Buck, his friend’s expression is earnest. “I think...I don’t know. Maybe I’m not as straight as I assumed I was.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>It feels like he’s being crushed with the weight as much as it feels as if the weight is being lifted off him. The words are out there, official, as weak as the declaration might be for some. Eddie’s heart pounds in his chest. He glances towards the hallway, suddenly concerned Christopher might be standing there without him realizing. His kid doesn’t need to know this, not yet, and definitely not before Eddie feels settled in himself. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Buck’s face goes slack before he blinks several times, shoulders straightening out. “Cool,” he says. A grin starts to spread over his face. “That’s cool. Hey,” he steps around the open dishwasher and pulls Eddie in for a tight hug, “Thanks for trusting me with that.” His hands are big where they spread across Eddie’s shoulders. Eddie leans into it until they step back from one another. Buck says, “I feel like I should have some kind of welcome basket for you or something.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>And just like that, things feel normal again. The world hasn’t ended. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Should at least have a fruit tray ready for this kind of thing,” he jokes back. Buck looks relieved and </span>
  <em>
    <span>happy</span>
  </em>
  <span>. Suddenly, Eddie doesn’t know why he let the anxiety eat him up the way he had. It all could have been this easy. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Hey, you figure out your term, and I’ll get you a fruit tray in your pride flag’s colors.” Buck promises with a shit-eating grin. He tips his head back towards the living room. “Come on, I thought we were going to watch that new Bond movie.”</span>
</p><hr/>
<p><br/>
<br/>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“How is the dating app going?” Chimney asks Buck when he’s caught Buck swiping left on his phone while sitting at the kitchen table in the firehouse. He tries peeking over Buck’s shoulder to get a look at who he is dismissing. “Not too good today?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I don’t know. I thought it would be good to get back out there, but,” Buck clicks his tongue. “Everyone just wants to hook up, get in and out.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Chimney sing-songs, “Wham, bam, thank you, ma’am.” With a nod, he says, “I am a very lucky man to no longer be among the feeding frenzy of the dating world.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Ugh,” Buck makes a face despite genuinely being happy for both Chim and Maddie. “Stop rubbing it in my face.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Eddie jogs up the stairs just then, having finished his cleaning for the moment. “Rubbing your face in what?” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Suddenly, Buck wants the conversation to be about anything other than his lack of a dating life. He’s not sure if he’s embarrassed that he doesn’t have much game (that will get him anywhere other than someone’s bed for a few hours) or if he’s embarrassed to be caught looking at someone else. A stern voice in the back of his mind reminds Buck that he certainly shouldn’t be looking where he </span>
  <em>
    <span>wants</span>
  </em>
  <span>, even if it feels like Eddie is attainable in a way he had never felt before. Maybe even </span>
  <em>
    <span>because</span>
  </em>
  <span> of that stilted confession the other night, Buck especially shouldn’t be looking at Eddie like he’s somehow available to Buck now. They are best friends above whatever Buck’s heart might desire..</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Buckaroo is in the middle of a dry spell. I was just trying to share some pearls of wisdom with him.” Chimney happily supplies.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Eddie glances down at Buck’s hands where Buck quickly locks his phone and turns it upside down. He looks back at Chimney. “Do you have anything other than cliches to share?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>That delights a laugh out of Buck, feeling warm at the way Eddie backed him. Chimney pretends as if Eddie just speared him in the chest. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You wound me! Eddie! I would never lead our young Buck here astray with bad advice!”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Buck knocks elbows with Eddie when the other man sits down next to him. To Chimney he says, “Unless you have a sister that is going to show up, become friends with me, and who I slowly develop feelings for, I don’t think you have any advice to give.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Hey, now,” Chimney leans forward on the table. “What Maddie and I have is real, genuine love.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Okay, okay.” Eddie says. He places a hand on Chimney’s shoulder. “We all know that.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Chimney isn’t truly annoyed, but Buck can tell that he’s miffed at being cast aside as an aide in love. “No way, man. C’mon, if I thought it was anything but that you know I’d have kicked your butt.” He grins obnoxiously at Chimney, pleased when he gets a laugh and eyeroll in reply. “Besides, you were lucky to have that. You guys had a relationship before you had a </span>
  <em>
    <span>relationship</span>
  </em>
  <span>. Buck one point oh was all about the hit it and quit it, but I’m not like that anymore. I want what you and Maddie have.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He can’t help the fleeting thought of Abby, even after more than a year of their relationship ending. They hadn’t been a long term fit, he can see that now, but what they had had been meaningful while it lasted. He misses that feeling he had when they were together. He’d been close to developing that with Ali, before the reality of his job and his injury ruined that for them. Now that he’s tasted what a deep, meaningful relationship feels like, Buck doesn’t want to bother with the hook-up scene. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Chimney nods, and the three of them are quiet for a beat. It’s a little depressing that none of them can come up with a good solution to Buck’s problem. It’s not their problem to solve, not really, anyway. Buck just needs to be patient, he supposes. He can hear Bobby in his head saying that, at least. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Be patient, and the right person will come along</span>
  </em>
  <span>. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Dude, I can’t believe you still talk about yourself in the third person. That’s not doing anything for your game.” Chimney smirks, earning a laugh from both Eddie and Buck. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Eddie looks over at Buck. “A pretty face like yours? You won’t stay single very long, not if you don’t want to.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Buck doesn’t blush at the complement, but it’s a near thing. After all, Eddie did just call him pretty. </span>
</p>
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